


What Could've Been

by orphan_account



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angel Tablet, Angels are Dicks, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Destiel Is Not Main Plot, Dicks With Wings, Episode: s08e17 Goodbye Stranger, Episode: s08e17 Goodbye Stranger - The Crypt Scene, Fix-It, I Love You, M/M, Multiple Authors/Editors, Original Character(s), Ridiculously Slow Updates, Season/Series 08, Season/Series 09, Slow Build Castiel/Dean Winchester, Slow Burn, The Demon Tablet, What-If, sort of
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-31
Updated: 2015-08-31
Packaged: 2018-04-12 17:45:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4488858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's commonly understood that the vast majority of fan-created stories begin with a simple <em>"What if?"</em> of one sort or another. This is another such story... </p><p>It would seem to be such a small change, a small choice, like turning left instead of right, but this supposedly small decision can radically change <em>everything</em>.</p><p>Open this story, and explore with us the consequences of <em>one</em> small, but <em>enormous</em> word: 'love', instead of 'need'.</p><p>-×-×-<br/>Note: this story is co-authored by multiple people. Updates may be a bit slow; please bear with us, and <em>please<em> leave constructive feedback! We'd so appreciate advice on how to improve. :)</em></em></p>
            </blockquote>





	What Could've Been

**Author's Note:**

> **AN:**  
>  This story is unique in that it is multi-authored and multi-edited. I, DarkTARDIS, the owner of this account, am the current main editor. Aristotle is the current main-body writer, with Castiel Girl and Fall Out Moose as co-authors and co-editors. We all have varied and busy schedules, so please bear with us as we will likely have very inconsistent updates. I sincerely hope that you enjoy our story, and please, _please_ leave us constructive criticism! We all have a lot of room for improvement in the area of writing. Also, let us know if you see _any_ little errors at all, and we will do our best to fix them, if need be! May the force be with -- *cough* Sorry, wrong fandom *cough* -- May you kill as many sons o' bitches as you can, and may you live long and prosper. Cheers! - DarkTARDIS, a.k.a. Anne
> 
>  **A/N:**  
>  Hey guys. This is one of the writers collaborating on this fic. You guys can call me Aristotle, and I mostly do rough plot points and *very* rough story writing. Hope you guys like this fic because the four of us are working hard to put it all together. Enjoy!!! :)
> 
> \- Aristotle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So guys, as you know, this is a collaboration fic, so though we will try our utmost to keep the fic updated on a regular schedule, we do have to account for a lot of our different schedules, so please bear with us. Here's the first chapter, hope you guys like it! :)
> 
> -Aristotle (one of the writers)

Castiel hovered above Dean, angel blade in hand. Dean begged him, bloody and beaten, his breath ragged. "Cas? Cas! I know you're in there. I know you can hear me."

"Cas... It's me! You've got to fight it. Please! We need -" Dean cut off, swallowing jerkily. "We love you, man. I love you."

"Cas?" Dean asked the angel, wincing at the iron grip Castiel had on his arm. For a moment Castiel just stood over him, staring stoically. However, as Dean watched, Cas' eyes flickered with some emotion, and his grip on his blade loosened and the blade fell from his grip, the metallic clang echoing throughout Lucifer's crypt.

Relief and confusion flooded Dean, and he groaned, doubling over in pain as Cas released his arm. Panting, he looked on as Castiel picked up the angel tablet.

Within moments of lifting it, a burst of blinding light surrounded Cas, so bright that Dean was forced to look away. Dazed and more than a little frightened of what was going to happen, Dean looked back up.

Castiel stood there, his expression shifting from emotionless to emotion-filled, yet still entirely inscrutable. It was such that Dean, especially in his muddled state, couldn't tell whether it was the oh-so-familiar countenance that he had come to know over the years, or the subtly false look that he hadn't understood but had witnessed the past several months.

Castiel still had one hand wrapped around the tablet, and the angel slowly reached out toward Dean with his other hand.

Dean's heart jumped into his throat, confused and fearing his friend was still trying to hurt or kill him.

"No... Cas, _Cas_ _!!"_ he yelled, flinching backward but unable to move away. Cas' eyes turned gentle, face pinched with sorrow, and Dean felt his hand press against his cheek. A warmth spread across his skin, healing his wounds, the very wounds that Castiel himself had inflicted.

Dean turned his face back towards Cas, wide-eyed in confusion. Castiel stared back at him, lowering his arm again slowly, his head tilted with regret.

"I'm so sorry, Dean."

Dean just looked at him, in shock and still breathing heavily. "What the hell just happened!?"

"It was Naomi. She was... controlling me." With a measure of pain in his eyes, Cas explained everything the best he could.

* * *

* * *

Dean stood in front of Cas, eyes still wide with shock. What he had just been told was hard to believe. He threw his arms out wide.

"So lemme get this straight: this...  _Naomi_... was controlling you this  _whole time_ , ever since you got out of Purgatory?"

"Yeah." There was no hesitation in Cas' answer. Dean stared at him for a second, waiting, but Cas didn't say anything else.

"Well, what happened?" he asked. "W-what broke the connection?"

Cas looked up at him. "I don't know. I just know that I have to protect this tablet."

Dean looked into Cas' eyes, and could see a fire in them that he hadn't seen in awhile. He had a sneaking suspicion of what Cas was thinking.

He had to make sure. "From Naomi?"

"Yes." Cas looked down and took a breath before meeting his eyes. "From both of you."

Dean knew the look on his face, and understood that he had only seconds to stop him.

"Cas." Dean's voice was sharp, sharp enough to make Castiel listen to his next words. "Don't go. I have an idea."

Cas hesitated. He didn't truly _want_ to leave Dean, but the instinctive, inexplicable urge to flee and to protect the tablet was very strong. Dean's words were just enough for Cas to convince himself to wait long enough to hear what he had to say.

Dean knew he had only moments to convince him, to stop him from taking off with the tablet.

And he'd be damned if he was gonna let that happen.

Dean raised his hands entreatingly to him.

"Look, just keep it in the bunker  _for now._ It's warded against the rest of your bitch-ass family, so it'll be safe there. Crowley and this  _Naomi_ chick won't get their hands on it. Please, Cas. You have to trust us; otherwise, what the hell was the point of bringing us here and asking us for help in the first place?" Cas just stared at him, and Dean continued. "We work better as a team. Hasn't all the crap we've beaten  _together_ shown that?" _  
_

Cas knew from previous occurrences that what Dean said about being strongest together wasn't _always_ true, but the truth in what Dean said and Cas' own desire to stay was enough to make him hesitate more with leaving.

"Please, Cas." Dean's eyes searched his own. "Don't go."

Dean watched the internal battle play out in Castiel's eyes, and could see the moment one side won.

"Okay. I trust you." Cas relayed the significance of that trust to Dean through his eyes. "For now... I'll stay."


End file.
